“Question: Is Putin’s political obituary in the western press a little premature? Answer: There’s been no conception, no baby here, no bath water.”

Nationwide polling of Russians this month by the Levada Centre of Moscow reveals three things you can’t read in the US and Canadian state media:

Russians now say they are experiencing modest improvement in the everyday corruption they must deal with, compared with three years ago, in finding jobs; getting medical treatment; applying for driver’s licences, car registrations and other local permits; dealing with police; paying taxes and customs duties; finding school places for children and cemetery graves for loved ones.

WHAT CORRUPTION HAVE YOU, YOUR CLOSE FRIENDS OR FAMILY EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS?

President Vladimir Putin is viewed as the Russians’ preference for reducing corruption; fewer Russians now than four years ago believe Putin is personally corrupt, or benefits from the corruption of his cronies and subordinates.

Opposition figure Alexei Navalny (lead image) has been fading from public awareness; recognition of his name peaked at 54% of Russians polled in October 2013. This month he was down to 47%, so he needed last Sunday’s demonstration and media coverage of his arrest to recover what he had lost. Publicity doesn’t mean political gain, however. The proportion of Russians who have made up their minds that Navalny doesn’t deserve their support is visibly growing.

WHICH WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS ALEKSEI NAVALNY?(as a percentage of those surveyed who recognize Navalny’s name)

Gorilla Radio is broadcast weekly by Chris Cook on CFUV 101.9 FM from the University of Victoria, British Columbia. The radio station can be heard here. The Gorilla Radio transcripts are also published by the Pacific Free Press. For Chris Cook’s broadcast archive, click to open.